The Cost of FREEDOM

Freedom isn’t just about walking out of a cell. It’s not just about being able to come and go. Real freedom starts in your mind, your spirit, and your will to keep going—no matter what’s trying to hold you back.

Live or Die Tryin’ was born from that fight. My fight. And let me keep it all the way real with you—I didn’t have a smooth path. I was locked up at 14 years old. A child. I came into the system not even knowing how to read or write. I was dyslexic. School had failed me, and the streets had swallowed me up.

But I made a decision. I wasn’t going to die in that place. I taught myself how to read and write while I was incarcerated. I studied. I learned. I changed. By the time I walked out at 24, I wasn’t the same kid they locked up. I had found a new kind of freedom—a freedom of the mind.

That’s the part I want you to hear. Because I know some of y’all feel like it’s too late, or like nobody sees you. But I see you—because I was you.

I won’t lie—life after prison has been hard. The world doesn’t welcome you back with open arms. There were days I felt like giving up. But I kept pushing because I knew I had a purpose. And I knew there were young people out here who needed to see someone who made it through.

That’s why I do this work now. Mentoring. Speaking life into our youth. Giving back. Because so many of you—my brothers and sisters behind the wall—gave that same energy to me. Your strength, your letters, your faith in something better—it planted a seed. I’m out here making sure it grows.

You might be locked up, but you’re not locked out. Your past doesn’t define your potential. You’re still valuable. Still powerful. Still worthy. And your story is far from over.

Freedom comes with a cost. It takes discipline, pain, growth, and patience. But it’s worth it. I’m living proof.

Visit LiveOrDieTryin.com to connect with the message. Share it. Let someone know they’re not alone in this fight. Because we’re still out here—pushing forward, lifting others, and living free from the inside out.

Live. Or die tryin’.

By Yahkhahnahn Ammi, Author of Live or Die Tryin’

Visit: LiveOrDieTryin.com

Dr. Perrie Daniell Gibson, Dr. Perrie Daniell Gibson, who writes under the pseudonym Yahkhahnahn Ammi, is the acclaimed author of the Live or Die Tryin’ memoir series. His powerful three-part narrative chronicles his extraordinary journey through wrongful incarceration, homelessness, fatherhood, and ultimately, redemption and reinvention.

A minister, chaplain, and TEFL-certified ESL instructor, Dr. Gibson holds a Ph.D. and serves as a peer supervisor specialist, passionately advocating for literacy, healing, and social justice. His work inspires readers and students alike to transform adversity into purpose.

The name Yahkhahnahn Ammi, meaning “God is compassionate and merciful,” is a sacred marker of Dr. Gibson’s profound post-incarceration transformation. While he writes under both names, this dual identity reflects the distinct spiritual and personal evolutions that define his life and work—not to confuse, but to illuminate.

Through his books, teachings, and outreach, Dr. Gibson encourages all people to live with truth, grace, and divine purpose.